La Maddalena is a national park of seven granite islands — ringed by some fifty uninhabited islets — in clear, shallow water between Sardinia and Corsica: Caprera and the Garibaldi house, the pink sand of Budelli, the sheltered coves of Spargi. La Maddalena is the only one with a town. The official voice of the destination, in one place: what to see, where to stay, and how to travel it well.
Concept prototype. Facts, figures and imagery to be verified before publication; placeholder photographs via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA).
The protected sands of Budelli — admired from the water, never walked.
ReadPine forests, granite coves, and the house where Garibaldi spent his last years.
ReadSixty islands of granite and posidonia meadows under national protection.
ReadA working harbour, naval history, and the everyday life of the Maddalenini.
ReadThe places worth planning your days around — chosen for the moment, not just the postcard.
The island’s western tip. Bring an aperitivo and watch the sun drop behind the archipelago from the low granite rocks.
The archipelago’s highest point at 212 m. A steady climb through pine and macchia to a full-circle view over every island.
A turquoise cove on Caprera reached on foot. Access is regulated to protect it — go with an authorised guide.
Cala Corsara and the western bays — white sand, wind-carved granite, and water you can see straight through.
The harbour passeggiata at dusk, then dinner in the narrow lanes of the old town.
The famous pink beach — protected, and admired only from the sea. Never landed on.
The whole archipelago is a national park made for moving slowly through it. Below are community-recorded GPS routes on Wikiloc, filtered to La Maddalena and its islands — open any activity to see the tracks, distances and photos, and download them to your device.
Cala Coticcio, Monte Teialone and the forts of Caprera.
View on Wikiloc →The old town, the caruggi and gentle routes near Cala Gavetta.
View on Wikiloc →Island circuits and the routes behind the local archipelago 21K.
View on Wikiloc →Paddle and sail-boat routes between the islands, plus SUP and swims.
View on Wikiloc →Routes are community-recorded GPS tracks hosted on Wikiloc; we link to the originals rather than reproducing them. Always check current National Park access rules — some areas (e.g. Cala Coticcio) require an authorised guide.
In 1793 a Maddalena helmsman, Domenico Millelire, repelled a French expedition — and its young artillery officer, Napoleon Bonaparte — becoming the first man ever awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valour. Half a century later, Garibaldi made neighbouring Caprera his home, and his last.
Read the island’s historyThe essential islands by boat, two beaches, and an evening in town.
The archipelago paired with Gallura and the Costa Smeralda — one trip, two landscapes.
A skippered day across the coves of Budelli, Santa Maria and Razzoli.
Itineraries extend beyond the islands into northern Sardinia — La Maddalena as the gateway, not the whole trip.
The seven islands keep their own calendar — slow-food springs, the midsummer feast for the patron saint, sailing trophies, festivals of theatre and memory, and a winter race up the granite steps of the old town. Here is what is taking shape across 2026.
Dates marked Confirmed are published by organisers or the Parco Nazionale dell’Arcipelago di La Maddalena. Dates marked To confirm are funded or recurring events whose 2026 programme is not yet public — the slot shown reflects the previous edition. Verify with the organiser before travelling. Sources: Ente Parco (2026 funded-events list), Slow Food / Giugno Slow, La Maddalena TV, Barbuti Team. Compiled June 2026.
Featured placements are paid and clearly marked. Editorial picks are chosen independently — the official guide stays editorially clean.
Now in its fourth consecutive season — the anchor of the Gulf fly-&-stay story, with co-marketing into the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
The first-ever nonstop service between the United States and Sardinia. Inaugural season from May 2026 — the gateway for North America.
From Olbia airport it’s about an hour’s drive to Palau, then the ferry across to La Maddalena — roughly a 20-minute crossing, operated by Delcomar, running through the day and overnight.
| One way | Return | |
|---|---|---|
| Foot passenger | €4.10–4.70 | €7.80–8.70 |
| Child (4–11) | €3.50–3.70 | €6.90–7.30 |
| Car ≤4 m | €10.00–10.20 | €19.60–20.00 |
| Car >4 m | €11.80–12.20 | €23.20–24.30 |
| Scooter ≤250cc | €5.80 | €11.40 |
| Bicycle | €2.20 | €4.00 |
Range = winter (1 Oct–31 May) to summer (1 Jun–30 Sep). Pets €1.20 (free in a ≤40 cm cage). Residents pay reduced fares.
06:00 · 07:00 · 07:30 · 08:00 · 08:40 · 09:00 · 09:40 · 10:00 · 10:40 · 11:00 · 11:40 · 12:00 · 12:40 · 13:00 · 13:30 · 14:15 · 15:15 · 16:00 · 16:30 · 17:00 · 17:30 · 18:00 · 18:30 · 19:00 · 19:30
Overnight: 20:30 · 21:30 · 22:30 · 23:30 · 00:30 · 01:30 · 03:00 · 04:00 · 04:55
06:30 · 07:30 · 08:00 · 08:30 · 09:10 · 09:30 · 10:10 · 10:30 · 11:10 · 11:30 · 12:10 · 12:30 · 13:10 · 13:30 · 14:10 · 14:45 · 15:45 · 16:30 · 17:00 · 17:30 · 18:00 · 18:30 · 19:00 · 19:30 · 20:00
Overnight: 21:00 · 22:00 · 23:00 · 00:00 · 01:00 · 02:00 · 03:30 · 04:30 · 05:30
Plus a Comune di La Maddalena landing fee per passenger: €2.50 (1 Apr–31 Oct), €0.50 (1 Nov–31 Mar). A weekend return discount applies Fri 14:00–Sun (excl. July–August). A few early/late sailings run only on set days. Timetable and fares are seasonal — always confirm the current schedule and prices on Delcomar (fares).
May, June and September — warm sea, open coves, and the islands at their quietest.
The water is the road. On land, explore by electric Moke — quiet, open, and easy on the park.
A national park first. Protected zones, mooring rules, and how to visit without leaving a trace.
Export-ready product, net rates, fam trips and co-marketing for North America, the Middle East, DACH and the Nordics — through ES Sardinia, the destination’s DMC.
Stories, history and practical dispatches — the islands in long form. Read the journal →
What the archipelago actually is — the seven you visit, and the fifty you don’t.
ReadHow La Maddalena became the Royal Navy’s forward base against Napoleon’s fleet.
ReadThe hilltop villa that briefly held Mussolini in the summer of 1943.
ReadA living archive of coverage. As articles about the island and the archipelago are published, they are collected here with a link to the original.
Template — published articles are added here with title, outlet, date, a call-out image and a link to the source. (Placeholder images are illustrative, CC Wikimedia.)
As seen on social.
Independent coverage of the islands — vlogs and guides from creators who’ve actually made the trip, linked to the original. Tag #VisitLaMaddalena to be featured.
La Maddalena, Sardinia — Summer 2025 (4K)
Travel vlog · 2025
Watch →Boat day: Palau to Spargi, Budelli & Santa Maria
Travel vlog
Watch →La Maddalena: a spectacular national park
Sardinia travel guide · 2024
Watch →6 things to see & do in La Maddalena
Miry Giramondo · 2025
Read →La Maddalena Archipelago: the definitive guide
Voyagetips
Read →Archipelago of La Maddalena
Charming Sardinia
Read →Real, public posts linked with credit. Card images are illustrative island photography (CC Wikimedia) — not the creators’ own; at launch a live wall powered by an official feed (Instagram Graph API or a UGC tool) shows each creator’s media, with repost permissions secured.